newbie near Philly

[Lenn]

I've been a lurker here for a while, and now that I'm ready to initiate my darkroom this weekend, thought I'd better join for real.

I'm a total b&w newbie, took a six-week course at the local college, and am ready to make as many mistakes as possible. I've been interested in photography for many years, back to my srt-102 days... which is still going strong, thank you.

Used to do weddings on Yashica mat124 and -D, which are long gone, unfortunately, but have recently picked up a used hassy 500cm. I've shot about ten rolls of 120 through it, and it seems to work just fine. It's my eye that needs work!

Anyway, I've been reading a lot of threads with great interest, and am really looking forward to getting started in my darkroom.

Len N.

 

[clogz]

Hello Len. Welcome to Apug and if you have any questions...feel free to ask.

Hans

 

[thebanana]

Hi Len,
Welcome from sunny Manitoba!

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Welcome to the group, Lenn from down the river.

 

[SuzanneR]

Welcome... ask away... use the search function... share your pix in the gallery!

 

[papagene]

Len... welcome to APUG from western Massachusetts. Good luck in your new darkroom... have fun!!

gene

 

[snallan]

Hi Len, welcome to APUG.

 

[Uhner]

Len, its nice to have you here.

Claes

 

[Anscojohn]

Welcome, Len. Boy, what I wouldn't do for a decent hoagie right about now.

John, Mount Vernon, Virginia USA

PS: Go Philthies.

 

[wfe]

Welcome from Coatesville, PA

Cheers,
Bill

 

[Buster6X6]

Hi Len ,from snowy SW/Ontario. Enjoy best analog site on the net and ask away.

Cheers Greg

 

[Dave Miller]

Welcome Len.

 

[winger]

Welcome from out near Pittsburgh!

 

[Davy Gray]

Welcome from Stromness Len. Great bunch here, I'm sure you'll enjoy the forum.
Look forward to seeing some results from your darkroom.

Cheers,
Davy.

 

[Sanjay Sen]

Welcome, Len, from the other bank of the Delaware!


Best wishes,
Sanjay

 

[Christopher Walrath]

One thing, Lenn. Black and white lends itself to showing off contrast. Like the scrimshaw I used to do, I was once told that the more lines there were in the etching, the more attention getting it would be. You lack color in B&W photography and color really catches your eye so you have to compensate with creative composition and angles and do not be afraid to use filters or decrease exposure and push process to attain some contrast every once in a while.

 

[Lenn]

Darkroom update

Thanks one and all for the welcome!

Spent a good amount of yesterday in my darkroom, and finally came away with one print I liked. Basically I liked it because it turned out - sort of. Found out my safe light leaked, so did some printing, then developed totally in the dark. Good thing my darkroom is small...

But with totall darkness, I didn't get the paper centered in the easel, and the print that somewhat turned out was crooked.

Spent today fixing things that went bump yesterday, and expect to try again tonight.

All in all, had a remarkably fun day, and can't wait to get back.

Christopher, I'm slowly coming to grips with the creative side, but am still trying to figure out the basics before I play with filtration on the enlarger. For example, I still am trying to figure out how much distance there should be on my Beseler 45 between the light source and the neg carrier...

Thanks again for the welcome!

 

[copake_ham]

Welcome to APUG from NYC.

 

[Shinnya]

Hi Lenn,

If you have a chance to come to the city, stop by our studio/gallery.

Right now, we are showing collotype exhibition at our gallery featuring work of George Tice, Emmet Gowin, Koichiro Kurita and many otheres.

There will be many events coming this spring such as lectures, movie night, and night for emerging photographers where they are given an opportunity to present their body of work.

Regardless of your involvement in photography, there should be some events you will be able to participate at our studio.

Hope to see you in person.

Warmly,
Tsuyoshi